Transverse mint. Can pregnant women drink mint? The healing properties of mint for skin

In the article we discuss peppermint tincture - use depending on the disease, recipes, beneficial properties and contraindications. You will learn how to get rid of fatigue and migraines with the help of alcohol infusion ki, which will help with toxicosis and colds, how to relieve hangover symptoms.

Peppermint tincture is used in folk medicine

Peppermint tincture contains the following chemical compounds:

• alcohol;
• menthol, cineole and limonene;
• saponins, rutin;
• vitamins B, C;
• glucose, betaine;
• organic acids;
• rhamnose, arginine;
• chlorogenic, ursulic, oleanolic and caffeic acids;
• flavonoids;
• tannins and resins;
• microelements.

Beneficial properties of peppermint tincture

Thanks to the rich bio chemical composition tinctures and decoctions based on peppermint provide therapeutic effect for the whole body:

• relax blood vessels;
• relieve spasms and relieve pain;
• normalize blood supply to the brain;
• stabilize the psycho-emotional state;
• destroy pathogenic microorganisms;
• clear the airways during ARVI;
• relieve nausea and heartburn;
• improve appetite;
• reduce gas formation in the intestines;
• have a choleretic effect.

• chronic fatigue, overexcitation, irritability;
• tachycardia, angina pectoris, hypertension;
• migraine, headache;
• food poisoning;
• cough and runny nose;
• inflammation of the oral cavity;
• spasms with nausea and vomiting, flatulence;
• gallstones;
• hangover.

Use in folk medicine

For treatment various diseases in folk medicine, they use an alcoholic tincture of peppermint from a pharmacy or make the medicine at home. Instead of an alcohol tincture, an infusion (decoction) is sometimes prepared from the leaves and stems of the plant.

The treatment regimen depends on what disease is bothering you. As soon as the symptoms of the disease disappear, stop taking the mint tincture.

For inhalation for colds

Add 1 tablespoon water infusion mint into boiling water, turn off the heat and lean over the saucepan at a distance of 30-40 cm. Cover your head with a towel and inhale the steam through your mouth and nose for 10 minutes.

Peppermint inhalations ease breathing during acute respiratory viral infections, eliminate sore throats, relieve swelling, and have an anti-inflammatory effect during bronchitis.

For headaches and migraines

Drip 25 drops of mint alcohol tincture into a small container, rub mint into the skin of the forehead, back of the head and temples 3 times a day with massaging movements.

Menthol has a cooling, soothing and antispasmodic effect and quickly relieves headache and migraine pain.

From fatigue

Make a water infusion with mint and take 3 times a day, ½ glass before meals. The medicine relieves nervous excitability, lifts your mood and makes you cheerful.

For nausea

Take mint infusion for nausea according to the following scheme:

• 2 tbsp each every 2 hours during pregnancy;
• 1 cup 3 times a day for food poisoning or due to stress.

You can add honey to the infusion, but not sugar.

Peppermint not only removes the painful feeling of nausea, but also effectively neutralizes toxins and other harmful substances in food poisoning.

For a hangover

If you have had too much alcohol and want to quickly get rid of a hangover with the help of an alcoholic tincture of peppermint, the benefits and harms of the medicine will be almost the same. Mint relieves headaches in a couple of minutes and improves general health. Place 20 drops of tincture in 1 glass of water and drink.

However, if you have a chronic alcoholism, alcohol along with mint may cause heart pain due to unstable work of cardio-vascular system. To relieve hangover symptoms, replace the alcohol infusion with mint decoction. The medicine will calm muscle tremors and tachycardia and help remove alcohol breakdown products.

For insomnia

Drink peppermint decoction undiluted 2-3 times a day, ½ cup. Do not abuse the product if you drive a vehicle and complex mechanisms, since mint quickly causes drowsiness.

To relieve inflammation in the mouth

Prepare an aqueous infusion of mint leaves or use an alcoholic tincture of the plant - add 15 drops to 1 glass of water. Regardless of what you use to relieve inflammation - water infusion or peppermint infusion, the application will be the same. Rinse your mouth with the prepared medicine 3-4 times a day.

Peppermint removes bad smell from the mouth, removes toothache and other symptoms accompanying inflammatory processes in the oral cavity.

How to make peppermint tincture at home

Dried mint leaves are used to prepare the tincture.

To prepare peppermint tincture at home, buy the herb or collect it yourself during the flowering period and dry it.

Ingredients:

• Peppermint herb - 20 tbsp.
• Alcohol 75% or vodka - 2 glasses.

How to cook: Grind the mint using a blender or mortar. Pour the powder into a glass jar, fill with alcohol and cover with a lid. Place the container in a dark place for 2 weeks. Shake the liquid regularly. After half a month, strain the tincture through 2-3 layers of gauze and pour into a bottle.

How to use: Take 15-25 drops 3 times a day or for rubbing.

Result: Alcohol tincture of peppermint helps with colds, headaches and toothaches, relieves nervous tension and reduces high blood pressure. A water infusion of mint pepper application the same as for alcohol tincture. At the same time, the infusion (decoction) is effective in situations where alcohol cannot be used.

Ingredients:

• Herb or mint leaves - 1 tbsp.
• Water (boiling water) - 1 glass.

How to cook: Place the mint in a saucepan, add boiling water and cook for 15-20 minutes over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat, strain the liquid through a strainer and squeeze. Pour into a thermos and close the lid. Leave the decoction for 1.5 hours.

How to use: Use every 2-3 hours according to the treatment regimen.

Result: A water infusion with mint reduces nausea and vomiting during toxicosis in pregnant women, relieves hangover symptoms and reduces toothache. It improves well-being during symptoms nervous exhaustion- depression, fatigue, insomnia.

Where to buy tincture

Peppermint tincture is sold in all city pharmacies, but mint tincture is not produced on an industrial scale.

For more information on preparing the tincture, watch the video:

Contraindications

Some people should not consume mint, despite the medicinal properties of peppermint tincture, and the contraindications for them are as follows:

• age under 3 years;
• phlebeurysm;
• reduced arterial pressure;
• problems with conception;
• lactation;
• individual intolerance.

To the risk group whenever possible allergic reaction people enter with bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis and hay fever. Peppermint tincture may cause shortness of breath, skin rashes and allergic rhinitis.

What to remember

1. Peppermint tincture quickly relieves headaches and spasms, relaxes blood vessels, lowers blood pressure and stops the inflammatory process.
2. If you have a cold, take inhalations with a water infusion of mint.
3. For migraines, wipe your temples, forehead and back of your head with 25 drops of alcohol tincture, and for bad smell for toothache, rinse your mouth with 15 drops of tincture diluted in a glass of water.
4. A water infusion helps when drinking alcohol is prohibited, as well as with insomnia, nausea and chronic fatigue.
5. Get rid of hangover quickly alcohol tincture peppermint, but not in the case chronic alcoholism. In this case, treat with mint decoction.

Peppermint: medicinal properties

Chemical composition of peppermint

All parts of the plant, except underground, contain essential oil (stems - up to 0.3%, inflorescences - up to 4.6%, leaves - up to 2.75%), the main component of which is menthol.

The following were found in peppermint leaf oil:

• Jasmone
• pulegon
• cineole
• phellandrene
• dipentene
• pinenes
• menton
• esters of valeric acid and menthol

• oleanolic acid
• ursolic acid
• ascorbic acid
• caffeic acid
• betaine
• hesperedin
• carotene (up to 40%)

Beneficial properties of peppermint

Peppermint is used as an analgesic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antisclerotic, vasodilator, choleretic, diaphoretic, antiemetic, stimulating the heart and blood circulation.

Peppermint has other names: cold mint and English mint.

Traditional medicine recommends this plant for inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract, bronchitis and bronchiectasis, catarrh of the pharynx and larynx, runny nose, pharyngitis, asthma, sore throat, toothache, migraine, neuralgic pain, liver and intestinal colic, seasickness, as well as for diseases accompanied by spastic contractions coronary vessels.

In the form of menthol, which has vasodilating, carminative, antiseptic, antispasmodic and local analgesic properties, this type of mint has a therapeutic effect for angina pectoris, gastrointestinal disorders, and stomach pain. Peppermint oil is an excellent antiseptic and refreshing agent that is used in toothpastes and powders, as well as for rinsing.

Peppermint oil is included in many mixtures to improve their taste.

For gynecological and cardiovascular disorders, liver and gallbladder diseases, spastic constipation and ulcerative colitis It is useful to drink a decoction of peppermint.

Contraindications to the use of peppermint are low blood pressure, increased acidity gastric juice, phlebeurysm. There are also age restrictions: Children under 3 years of age are not recommended to use peppermint.

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Peppermint treatment: traditional medicine recipes

Hot water is good for colds and flu Mint tea. To prepare it, 1 tbsp. A spoonful of dry peppermint leaves should be poured with 200 ml of boiling water and kept in a thermos for 10–15 minutes.

Peppermint baths promote quick withdrawal nervous tension

At different digestive disorders To improve appetite and prevent gastritis, use an infusion of mint leaves. You can prepare it as follows: brew 2 teaspoons of leaves with 200 ml of boiling water and leave for about 30 minutes. Then strain and drink 1/3 glass 15 minutes before meals 2 times a day. The same infusion is indicated for nausea, vomiting, scanty and heavy menstruation, abdominal pain and poisoning.

Mint contains tannins that protect gastrointestinal tract from irritation

To facilitate unpleasant symptoms menopause, women are recommended to take mint decoction (2 teaspoons of mint leaves pour 500 ml hot water and bring to a boil).

For hypertension, a collection of:

• 2 tbsp. tablespoons peppermint
• 2 tbsp. spoons of chamomile
• 1 tbsp. spoons of valerian

2 teaspoons of the collection are poured into 200 ml of boiling water, left for 30 minutes and drunk 1/3 cup daily for 1 month.

At diabetes mellitus, diseases of the liver, gallbladder and pancreas, prepare a mixture of 3 teaspoons of peppermint and 1 teaspoon of crushed dandelion root. The mixture is poured into 200 ml of water, boiled for 5–7 minutes, left covered for 30 minutes and filtered. Take 1/4 cup 2-4 times a day before meals.

Mint leaves can be used for cooking sedative collection. It is necessary to mix them in equal proportions with valerian root and three-leaf watch, and then pour 1 tbsp. spoon of collection 200 ml of boiling water. Herbs should be infused for an hour and taken 100 ml 3 times a day for emotional instability and increased nervousness.

Peppermint is herbaceous plant, belongs to the Lamiaceae family.

The plant was obtained by hybridizing wild mint species - aquatic and garden varieties.

Peppermint is perennial, stem height 100 centimeters.

The flowering period occurs at the end of June - beginning of September.

In Russia, mint is grown on an industrial scale in Krasnodar Territory and Voronezh region.

Peppermint is used in:

• medicine,
• cooking,
• cosmetology.

• hypertension,
• migraine,
• colds and other diseases.

Chemical composition of mint

The plant is easily recognized among other medicinal herbs because it has a specific menthol aroma.

The smell of peppermint cannot be confused with other smells. The herb contains the following substances:

Thanks to its chemical composition, peppermint improves health, improves well-being, helps in the fight against many diseases and prolongs youth.

Beneficial features

1. Peppermint is an antibiotic of plant origin.

The plant stops the growth of bacteria, coli and some types of fungi.

Thanks to these properties, peppermint is used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases - sore throats, pharyngitis, laryngitis (the article describes treatment in children under one year old), bronchitis.

2. The plant improves blood circulation, so the plant is used in the treatment of migraines and headaches.

3. The medicinal herb lowers blood pressure; infusions and decoctions of peppermint are recommended for hypertensive patients.

4. Peppermint is calming nervous system.

It must be taken during stress, during difficult life situations.
The plant copes well with insomnia.

5. Medicinal herb helps improve the functioning of the digestive system.
Mint relieves heartburn.

Treats constipation, diarrhea, copes with gas formation, increases appetite and has a choleretic effect.

6. Decoctions - relieve inflammation of the bladder.

7. The plant has an antiemetic effect. Helps with nausea.

8. Mint is used for oral care.

Decoctions and infusions from the plant help with painful gums and heal small wounds in the mouth.

Use in cosmetology

Peppermint has softening and moisturizing properties.

The plant helps improve appearance any woman.

To get rid of dandruff and strengthen your hair, rinse your hair with water and add a few drops of menthol oil.

To moisturize and tighten the skin, use a special scrub:

• mix coconut oil in equal proportions,
• peppermint oil,
• sugar.

Apply to problematic skin, then rinse with water.

Peppermint-based lotions cleanse the face, get rid of oiliness and rashes, and kill many bacteria.

For a rejuvenating effect, use the following mask:

• take a large spoon of fresh mint leaves,
• add five grams of dry chamomile,
• one egg,
• a spoonful of honey.

Mix the ingredients and apply to face for 15 minutes, then rinse.
Make a mask once a week.

Contraindications for use

Before using peppermint, you should familiarize yourself with a number of restrictions.

The plant contains a large number of essential oils Therefore, people prone to allergies should use peppermint with caution.

The medicinal plant should not be used by children under five years of age.

Peppermint tea lowers blood pressure, so it is not recommended for hypotensive patients.

Peppermint affects lactation, reduces the amount breast milk and affects its taste.

Before consuming the plant during pregnancy, you should consult your doctor.

The plant is contraindicated for varicose veins veins, as mint dilates blood vessels.

Peppermint reduces production male hormone– testosterone, so men are not recommended to abuse mint teas and drinks.

It's worth remembering that long-term use plants can affect the functioning of the heart, liver, kidneys and negatively affect the activity of the entire body.

How to collect correctly

Peppermint is harvested during the beginning of flowering: in June – July.

The plant is cut with a knife or scissors.

You need to dry mint in the shade.

To do this, the cut plant is laid out in a thin layer on a light, flat surface.

Don't forget to turn the mint over from time to time.

Dried peppermint can be stored in an airtight glass jar or in cotton bags.

Folk recipes

Decoction

Take a large spoon of dry peppermint and fill it with half a liter of water.

Place the mixture on the stove, bring to a boil and simmer for ten minutes. Let it brew for a quarter of an hour, strain.

Drink the drink three times a day. Dosage – 100 – 150 grams. If desired, you can add honey, sugar, lemon.

Infusion

To prepare the infusion, you need to take a teaspoon of peppermint, pour two hundred milliliters of boiling water over it and let it brew for twenty minutes.

Strain and add honey or sugar to taste.

This infusion is great for insomnia, stressful situations. It relieves headaches and abdominal cramps.

Tea

This drink is good to drink in the hot season, it tones and has a refreshing effect.

• Take a small handful of fresh peppermint,
• pour a liter of boiling water,
• let it brew for 10 – 15 minutes.

The tea must be strained before drinking. You can add honey. Fresh mint can be replaced with a handful of dry leaves.

Tea is prepared in glass or ceramic containers.

If desired, you can add a few peppermint leaves to a glass of regular black tea.

For improvement taste qualities add honey, sugar or lemon. This drink will improve intestinal motility.

Peppermint is a useful medicinal plant.

It has a tonic effect, helps in the fight against inflammatory diseases, hypertension, migraine.

Mint improves the activity of the gastrointestinal tract.

Before using the plant, you should familiarize yourself with the contraindications and consult your doctor.

The author of the video will tell you about the properties and contraindications of peppermint essential oil.

In different parts of the world, mint is the name given to sometimes dissimilar crops, which are connected by belonging to the Lamiaceae family and amazing spicy-taste qualities that are not found in any other garden or wild plant.

Today, a little more than 20 types of mint are widespread, used both in cooking and in folk and official medicine. Healers and scientists of ancient times had experience in using this plant material. Avicenna and Hippocrates mentioned the benefits of mint for the body in their works, calling for the treatment of headaches and digestive disorders, fever and mental illnesses with mint-based drugs.

In Russia, it has long been considered one of the favorite types of spicy herbs. Back in the 19th century, in addition to local wild species, cultivated plantings of this plant could be seen in gardens and apothecary gardens, and with many beneficial properties and with a minimum of contraindications, mint leaves, as in the photo, were already collected and used to make mint lozenges, fragrant water, tinctures and soothing herbal teas.

What are the benefits of mint and is there any harm from taking products based on it? Were the doctors of the past right, and what do the latest studies of the composition of the herb say?

How is mint beneficial for the body?

Modern possibilities of medicine and biotechnology have stepped far ahead compared to the times of Avicenna and even the real prototype of Dr. Watson, who probably recommended mint tea to his patients more than once in dank London.

But even today experts are unanimous - mint, namely the leaves and stems of the plant, collected before and during flowering, is powerful medicine from many disorders and diseases.

The beneficial properties of mint depend on the composition of the plant material, which acquires its greatest value at the moment it reaches high concentration mint essential oil - menthol, at the time of collection, comprising from 2.5 to 6% of the mass of leaves or inflorescences. It is this substance that determines the taste and aroma of the herb, and is also the basis for the beneficial properties of mint, for example, its excellent bactericidal ability.

At the same time, the calorie content of the grass is extremely low and amounts to 70 kcal. Of 100 grams of mint harvested, 3.75 grams are protein, 6.89 grams are carbohydrates and only 0.94 grams are fat. In addition, in vegetable medicinal raw materials quite a bit of dietary fiber and valuable organic acids, vitamins and mineral salts.

• The vitamin composition includes essential for human body connections: A, B1 and B2, B3, B6 and B9, C and PP.
• Macroelements are represented by calcium, phosphorus and sodium, potassium and magnesium.
• The microelements in mint herb are manganese, zinc, iron and copper.

In addition to menthol, the benefits of mint for the body depend on the presence in the raw material of substances such as esters, tannins, natural bitterness, phytoncides and flavonoids.

The benefits of mint for the body in folk and traditional medicine

Mint is involved in therapy and preventive measures, aimed at combating many diseases. Preparations containing menthol or mint herb have a calming, analgesic, vasodilator and anti-inflammatory effect. Mint is prescribed as a safe diaphoretic, bactericidal and analgesic for diseases accompanied by fever, local pain and irritation of the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx and oral cavity.

Essential oil from mint leaves has almost no contraindications, but with a lot of beneficial properties, as in the photo, in combination with others herbal ingredients effectively fights rhinitis, stomatitis and pharyngitis, manifestations of sore throat and other seasonal colds. Mint herb is also used to treat inflammation of the organs. genitourinary system, digestion and liver. Fresh mint in dishes and drinks not only improves their taste, but also actively increases appetite, relieves unpleasant symptoms such as heartburn, nausea and increased gas formation.

What mint is good for the circulatory and nervous systems is its stimulating tonic effect.

On the one hand, mint-based preparations can effectively calm and relieve stress, and on the other hand, they accelerate mental activity, helps the body overcome migraines and insomnia.

It is thanks to such extensive beneficial properties that mint is widely used in traditional medicine and is included in the compositions of well-known, tested and new medications. Such medications using plant materials have analgesic, choleretic, antispasmodic and antimicrobial effect, they actively soothe, stimulate digestion and gland activity internal secretion, provide beneficial effect on smooth muscles.

Medicinal properties of mint and contraindications for women

The beneficial properties of mint can be used during such difficult periods of a woman’s life as pregnancy and breastfeeding. At this time, the use of medications is extremely limited, and even to medicinal herbs should be treated very carefully.

Doctors are confident that daily consumption of up to a liter of mint tea will not harm the health of the mother and unborn child.

Active substances in the plant:

• neutralize manifestations of toxicosis;
• relieve nausea;
• improve appetite and general well-being;
• will eliminate the signs causeless anxiety, often accompanying pregnancy.

The benefits of mint for the body of the expectant mother include eliminating heartburn, a mild laxative effect, and facilitating the passage of gases. When using the medicinal properties of mint, women need to take into account the contraindications that exist in relation to this plant.

If tea and external use of herbal raw materials do not harm health, then essential oil in pure form It is not recommended during pregnancy, since menthol in such concentrations can provoke labor.

Young mothers should not get carried away with eating mint. Herbal raw materials are so active action may reduce the amount of milk produced. What else is mint good for women? Mint decoction or Herb tea will relieve fatigue, help cope with menstrual pain and headaches, and normalize sleep.

Useful properties and contraindications of mint for men

Mint is well known as a plant with restorative, tonic, analgesic and antipyretic properties. How is mint beneficial for men's health?

• There is no doubt that mint can effectively eliminate the effects of stress, fatigue, mint tea or decoction will calm you down and put you in a positive mood.
• Regular inclusion of mint in your diet will reduce the risk of developing heart and nervous system diseases.
• External use of mint decoction refreshes the skin, reduces sweating and the risk of fungal infections.

With all the beneficial properties of mint, there are contraindications for men that are worth listening to. Excessive indulgence in drinks and dishes with fresh mint, teas based on it, or preparations with menthol in a man can cause a decrease in potency, a feeling of relaxation, and decreased attention, which is especially dangerous when driving.

Contraindications to the use of mint

Despite the existing mass of beneficial properties, mint also has contraindications that apply to everyone who decides to start healing with the help of this plant.

The first warning is the existence of personal intolerance to substances in plant materials and preparations made from them.

Mint should be used with extreme caution under reduced pressure. In this case, even a cup of seemingly harmless tea can cause an additional decrease in blood pressure and a deterioration in well-being.

Mint acts similarly on blood vessels in the tissues, their tone decreases, and blood flow decreases. Therefore, exacerbations cannot be ruled out varicose veins. With regard to the digestive system, there can be both benefits from mint and harm from thoughtless intake of plant-based products. For example, take mint decoctions with caution and increased acidity, exacerbations of gastritis or peptic ulcer.

Pediatricians do not recommend giving mint tea, decoction and other herbal remedies children under three years of age.

Video about the benefits of mint

Mint is a plant that is familiar to each of us. Even people who have never seen this grass in person probably know its smell. Mint is one of the most common odorous plants and its use dates back to the most primitive times. It even appears in mythology: the Greeks associated the appearance of this plant on Earth with the nymph Minta, who was the beloved of the god Hades. His jealous wife Persephone, in her anger, turned Mintha into a fragrant plant. A mountain in the northwestern Peloponnese is also dedicated to her.

Varieties of mint

This herb is unpretentious, has many beneficial properties and a pleasant aroma, which is why it is grown in gardens literally all over the world. She also feels good in natural conditions, without human care.

Mint belongs to the family Lamiaceae or Lamiaceae and has more than 20 varieties! The most famous and widespread are the following:

• Peppermint or English mint - it is most often used in medicine and cooking;
• Longleaf - mint, which is grown for the extraction of essential oil;
• Meadow mint is a wild variety of mint, most often found in gardens;
• Japanese mint is known for its large violet or purple flowers;
• Spearmint is a variety that does not have the pungent aroma and taste we are accustomed to.

All types of this herb differ from each other, but they can all be used for treatment or cooking. Particularly worth noting is a variety such as catnip or catnip. In addition to its distinct lemon scent, it is famous for attracting all members of the cat family, including large and wild ones. This variety is often used not only for medicinal and gastronomic purposes, but also in perfumery.

Useful properties of mint

This plant is known for:

• Helps relieve pain;
• Has a bactericidal effect;
• Calms and tones;
• Helps prevent cancer;
• It has a choleretic and vasodilating effect.

Due to these beneficial properties, the scope of use of mint in medicine is quite wide. Moreover, it is important that it is used not only in folk medicine, but also in modern pharmacology when creating the latest medicines. Many people have experienced the healing effects of mint ointments for coughs, runny noses and anti-nausea pills. Even the good old Pectusin, which has been saving us from colds for many years, includes mint extract.

So, ordinary peppermint, which can be purchased at any pharmacy, will help you cope with any type of cold: laryngitis, sore throat and respiratory diseases.

It will also relieve headaches, overexcitement, and help fight insomnia and even depression. It has a good effect on the gastrointestinal tract: it treats constipation, colic, helps with the outflow of bile and normalizes liver function.

It will also be useful to take mint for the functioning of the heart: it will stabilize the rhythm of your heart, dilate blood vessels and thereby lower blood pressure.

Thanks to its bactericidal properties, mint removes inflammation of the gums and disinfects oral cavity and thereby freshens your breath.

The main reason mint has so many beneficial properties is the presence of menthol, which:

• Calms the nervous system;
• Dilates blood vessels and regulates blood pressure;
• Has antiseptic and anesthetic effects.

Recipes with mint

1. Mint tea- most known method using mint. It has all the beneficial properties of this herb: it will calm you down, relieve irritation, and help you sleep. In addition, it is very useful in treating colds, especially in combination with other medicinal herbs.
   To prepare it, just chop 3-4 fresh leaves mint or take 1 pinch of dried herb. Pour a glass of boiled hot water over them and wait 15 seconds. After this, drain the water and pour boiling water over the herb again for 2-3 minutes. You can also put 2 leaves or half a pinch of dry mint in regular black or to make it even more useful.
2. Mint infusion made from dried mint. To do this, take 1 tablespoon and pour a glass of boiling water over it for half an hour. Strain the resulting infusion and drink a third of a glass 20 minutes before meals several times a day. This remedy should be used as a prophylaxis for and to calm nausea and heart pain. You can also use half a glass of infusion to rinse if you have bad breath.
3. Mint decoction – useful remedy for women during menopause. To prepare it, you need to pour 2 teaspoons of the herb with half a liter of boiling water and bring to a boil over low heat. Boil it for 10 minutes and leave to cool for half an hour. Then you can consume 3-4 times a day, 1 tablespoon 20 minutes before meals.
4. Alcohol tincture of mint– a good remedy for headaches, which will also be beneficial for the skin. Pour a teaspoon of chopped herbs into 100 ml of pharmaceutical alcohol and leave for a week in dark place. After this, the infusion can be smeared on your temples to relieve headaches and on your face to further tone the skin.

We have collected more mint recipes in a special article:.

Peppermint oil: properties and uses

Peppermint essential oil – wonderful remedy for heartburn and bloating. To feel it beneficial effect, a couple of drops per tablespoon of water or cube of refined sugar is enough. This oil is also used for inhalation to treat bronchitis and colds.

Can pregnant women drink mint?

Any girl who regularly uses mint, preparing to become a mother, wonders: is it worth drinking mint tea during pregnancy? After all, mint is a medicinal plant, which contains many active substances, including essential oils. And mint essential oil is always contraindicated for pregnant women: it is oversaturated with many organic acids and tannins, which, if consumed regularly, can harm the health of the unborn child.

However, essential oil is not the same thing as tea, which is essentially just water with a small concentration of active substances. If you drink mint tea during pregnancy in small quantities (1 cup a day and no more), it will have a beneficial effect on the course of pregnancy:

• In the 1st trimester, it helps with toxicosis, relieves nausea and reduces bloating and indigestion;
• Mint helps calm the nervous system and cope with fears and anxieties during the prenatal period, which will have a good effect on the baby’s condition;
• For colds and sore throats that cannot be treated with medications during pregnancy, mint tea will be the best and most strong medicine due to the properties described above;
• Mint effectively fights dizziness and swelling;
• Mint will also increase female libido, which drops significantly during pregnancy.

Based on these beneficial properties, doctors can often even recommend that you drink a little mint tea, but it is very important to observe moderation in this matter, especially if deviations or difficulties arise during pregnancy.

However, it may seem that mint tea has no contraindications, but this is also not entirely true. After all, the beneficial substances contained in it can cause harm in certain situations:

• Peppermint contains estrogen, which large doses may cause premature birth or even a miscarriage. To avoid such a dosage, it is recommended to drink no more than 1 cup of mint infusion per day and take breaks for 2 days after every 4 days of use.
• In some cases, mint can reduce milk production, and therefore recent months It is not advisable to use it during pregnancy to avoid problems with feeding the child.
• Mint dilates blood vessels and thereby reduces blood pressure– this can cause discomfort in hypotensive patients.
• This herb can cause allergies and should be avoided under all circumstances during pregnancy.
• And to top it off, consuming mint can negatively affect your liver and kidney function if you suffer from chronic diseases these organs.

Therefore, before making a decision, be sure to consult your doctor. After all, if you drank it before without problems, this does not mean that during pregnancy it will also not be harmful to your body.

Mint for breastfeeding

Nowadays, the most common types of mint are peppermint and spearmint. Peppercorn contains a large amount of menthol, the use of which dilates blood vessels.

Thanks to this property, a single dose of peppermint can increase the milk supply of a young mother. This occurs due to the dilation of blood vessels: blood circulation increases and milk begins to be released better. The paradox is that when you regularly take peppermint or other sources of menthol, the opposite effect is observed and there is less milk. Therefore, when breastfeeding better to avoid regular use peppermint.

Another thing concerns spearmint. It contains very little menthol, but it also contains carvone, another useful substance, which is just the opposite – stimulates lactation when taken regularly. Carvone is also found in cumin, dill and fennel, and these herbs are in traditional medicine used to increase milk production.

Therefore, just consuming a small amount of spearmint will help a young mother, but of course, you need to know when to stop. By the way, it is very important to note that before use you should make sure that you are brewing spearmint, and if you cannot be sure of this, then it is better to abstain or ask a specialist for advice.

Mint for hair

Mint also helps very well in improving hair health: its decoction is useful for dry, brittle, split ends and colored hair. And, for example, a decoction of mint will good remedy to strengthen and heal the weak brittle hair– it will give them shine and a healthier appearance.

Read more about using mint for hair in the article:.

Contraindications to the use of mint

First of all, mint is medicinal plant, and therefore you should not use it too much. It is also not allowed for people who have increased sensitivity to menthol, carvone or other components of this plant. It is also contraindicated for people suffering from low blood pressure.

Also, due to its ability to dilate blood vessels and reduce their tone, mint can contribute to exacerbation. It should not be used if you are extremely drowsy, since this herb has a calming and inhibitory effect.

Do not give mint to children under 3 years of age, and it should not be consumed by men with low libido, as it stimulates the production of estrogen, which will further aggravate this problem.

And under no circumstances take mint if you have problems conceiving a child - using mint will only worsen your condition!

Mint: plant photo

Mint collection

Mint should be collected once a year, during flowering - approximately from the end of May to the end of July. To do this, pluck the leaves of the plant or leaves and pieces of stems. Older plants should be collected, since young ones lose significantly after drying. healing substances and aroma.

It is also important to collect mint as far as possible from any sources of anthropogenic pollution: roads, factories, big cities. And you should not collect plants early in the morning, when there is still dew on them - it is advisable to first give them time to dry. After collecting, hide the herb from direct sunlight as soon as possible - this may negatively affect its healing properties.

It depends on how exactly you assembled it:

• if with stems, then they should be tied, forming bunches and hung in a dark but well-ventilated room (for example, a balcony).
• if you collected only leaves, then they need to be laid out on clean paper or cloth, also in the shade. After this, periodically stir and turn over so that they do not freeze.

You should not dry mint in the oven, because this can cause it to lose most of its essential oils and stop being so tasty and healthy.

After drying the plant, it is not necessary to chop it - it can be stored in its entirety. To do this, use a tightly closed jar in a dark and cool room. If there are no cans, paper or fabric bags will do.